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iRubric: Common App Essay rubric
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Common App Essay
Common App Essay
An essay answering 1 of the 5 prompts on the Common App, this must have a brisk opening that puts me into the middle of a story, memorable and concrete details, an aha moment, revealed strengths/lessons, how strengths/lessons will influence college/career choices, spotlight on YOU (reader knows you well after essay), concise (no wordiness), consistent verb tense (past or present; be consistent)
Rubric Code:
VX7WXX8
By
tjenkins1983
Ready to use
Public Rubric
Subject:
English
Type:
Writing
Grade Levels:
9-12
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Common App Essay
Below Expectations
1 pts
Needs Improvement
2 pts
Developing
3 pts
Meets Expectations
4 pts
Captivating Opening
Below Expectations
Opens in vague, general way
Explicitly states "I learned that...." or equally formulaic statement
Does NOT put reader into story or scene
Does not capture attention
Needs Improvement
Opening may or may not involve a story
Average level of interest aroused, not particularly strong
Moves at average pace, not particularly brisk
Developing
Opens in media res, in middle of a story
Opens quickly, establishes fairly brisk pace
Concrete imagery
Meets Expectations
Opens in media res, in middle of story
Captures reader's attention immediately
Captivating
Pace
Below Expectations
Sluggish, wastes valuable space, caught up in uninteresting or irrelevant details
Wanders without aim
Needs Improvement
Average pace, some noticeable examples of sluggishness or pointless turns
Developing
Above average pace
Writing moves along fairly quickly and gets to its point
Meets Expectations
Fast paced
Each sentence serves a purpose, getting to the aha quickly, efficiently
Story/Stories
Below Expectations
No stories provided
Deals in generalities
Vague, abstract
Needs Improvement
Story/stories may or may not be present but are not especially memorable
Lacking in action and/or dialogue
Developing
Story or stories attached to the lesson/aha moment/ revealed strengths
Meets Expectations
Memorable, captivating story/stories with action and/or dialogue
Clearly and convincingly attached to lesson, aha moment, revealed strengths
Concrete Details
Below Expectations
Examples are vague, general
No or barely any concrete images to appeal to senses (one cannot see, touch, hear, smell, or taste the examples)
Needs Improvement
Some concrete examples but more general, vague, abstract examples
Developing
Several concrete examples that appeal to some senses
Meets Expectations
Essay filled with concrete examples that appeal to the 5 senses
Crisp, unforgettable details
Aha Moment
Below Expectations
Reveals no clear lesson about life or self
No change perceived
Needs Improvement
May reveal lesson about life or self, but states in cliched way, "That's when I learned..." or "This experience showed me that..."
Developing
Reveals lesson about life or self; growth is revealed
Meets Expectations
You grow in a clear, obvious way
Does not explicitly state what you learned; lesson or aha is obvious through the story/stories
YOU Are Revealed
Below Expectations
Reader knows about someone or something other than you at end of essay
Needs Improvement
You reveal something about yourself, but essay isn't the showcase it could be for your personality
Developing
Your change is evident by end of essay and this is mostly clear
Meets Expectations
Reader knows you by end of essay; stories told to reveal something about YOU
Going Forward
Below Expectations
No college/personal/future goals laid out
Purpose of essay not tied to larger meaning for writer
Needs Improvement
Implicit connection to writer's life/purpose, but not clearly drawn
Developing
Essay's purpose tied in some way to future/personal/career goals
Meets Expectations
Clearly connects lesson/aha/ strengths revealed to college/personal/future goals
Concise (NOT WORDY)
Below Expectations
Filled with smothered verbs, passive voice, catch-all terms, who-which-that clauses, other "sins" of wordiness
Needs Improvement
Average wordiness, noticeable but not horrendous wastefulness
Developing
A bit of wordiness but overall concise, lean writing
Meets Expectations
Concise, lean, muscular writing
Hardly any sins of wordiness
Mechanics
Below Expectations
The overall presentation of the essay displays a lack of proofreading and attention to detail. While the essay MIGHT be readable, it is uncomfortable and unprofessional
Needs Improvement
Essay contains several errors, many are distracting to the reader
Developing
Essay contains a few errors, but they are not distracting to the reader.
Meets Expectations
Essay contains one or two errors, tops.
Subjects:
English
Types:
Writing
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